Strange Dreams
by NessaMiriel
Summary: Elrond has been having strange dreams of a woman he does not know--then the twins find her. Who is she? Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Just a quick infomercial I'm sure you've all heard before-I don't own Tolkien or his stuff. You know what's his and what's mine.  
Chapter 1  
  
Strange dreams had tormented Elrond for weeks. As an elf he did not need an exorbitant amount of sleep, but he was not getting even the minimal amount. His children had noticed, as he had been perhaps shorter with them than was usual; even Estel had decided it was better to leave the Elf Lord to himself than to risk his shortened temper. The others had noticed, too, especially Glorfindel. When Gildor had arrived two weeks again, Elrond had not even come to greet him, but rather sent feeble welcome by way of Glorfindel. It was Glorfindel, now, that took care of the twins and Estel for the most part, tucking them in and making sure they washed before their dinners.  
  
The usual rambunctious nature of the twins mellowed whenever their father was around, be it to watch them play or being, by happenstance, walking down one of the long hallways where the boys often wrestled or played tag. On this particular day, however, they either did not see him or did not care, but both barreled into his legs like six year old cannonballs, knocking the Eldar over like a sac of potatoes. Elrond, before he even managed to get to his feet, was shouting at the twins, who were staring at him in remorseful terror, with wide grey eyes and trembling lower lips. Glorfindel had heard the shouting, and ran to discover its cause; he was met in the doorway by quaking and sobbing Elladan and Elrohir that clung to his legs and buried their faces in them. Raising his eyes he saw the deep purple of Elrond's robe disappear around the corner.  
  
Glorfindel scowled. This has gone on too long, he thought fiercely to himself. Smoothing his mouth into a soft smile, he knelt before the two twins and put his hand against their small backs. "What troubles you?" he asked quietly, though he very well knew the cause already.  
  
"Father," Elladan sobbed as he buried his face in Glorfindel's shoulder.  
  
"He was so angry at us!" Elrohir's right arm snaked between Glorfindel's arm and chest and his left absently reached over and felt for his twin. Elladan's hand grabbed Elrohir's and mimicked his brother's movement with his left to hold fast to Glorfindel. "We were..were only.p-playing." The younger twin's sobs made his speech nearly incoherent.  
  
"Your father knows," Glorfindel said soothingly. "I am certain he did not mean to snap at you. He has not been sleeping well of late."  
  
"He hates us!" Elladan wailed.  
  
"Say no such things," Glorfindel said sternly, then softened his tone as the two boys looked up at him with huge, tear-filled eyes and tear-stained faces. "Your father loves you more than anything, you both know that."  
  
"Really?" Elladan sniffled, wiping his runny nose on Glorfindel's sleeve.  
  
Glorfindel blanched inwardly, but smiled. "Of course," he said, lifting the twins simultaneously as he stood. Balancing one boy on each hip, the Elf Lord made his way down the hall towards the boys' room. "It is far past time for you boys to be in bed, anyway. You get into bed and I will go speak to your father. How does that sound?"  
  
Elrohir sniffled, and wiped his nose of Glorfindel's shoulder. Again, Glorfindel sighed inwardly, but listened to the tiny voice as he spoke. "Will he be mad if you go see him for us?"  
  
"If he is, then he will just have to be angry," Glorfindel said, voicing his thoughts before he meant to. But to cover his slip, he smiled widely. "You know your father and I used to wrestle like you and Elladan do now."  
  
"Do you still?" Elladan seemed in awe. "You're both big!"  
  
Glorfindel laughed. "No, we do not anymore," he said. Our time of innocence is gone, he thought sadly to himself. Both Elf Lords had seen much in their time; war, famine, death. Glorfindel had died once, only to be sent back; Elrond had seen the elimination of Sauron but also the fall of one of the mightiest of Númenor, Isildur, his own nephew of sorts. Both of the elves had seen more than they would ever tell to the small boys. Not until they were older. "Perhaps one day we might again," he ended. "But I would not let your father win like I used to do!"  
  
The twins held onto Glorfindel's neck as he stepped into their rooms and lay them on the huge feather bed then covered them. "Will you fetch Estel to us?" Elrohir pleaded, holding tight to Glorfindel's hand as he tried to lean up.  
  
"We want him to sleep over!" Elladan piped up, the same pleading tone in his voice.  
  
"Very well," Glorfindel said. "I will get him, then I will go and talk to your father."  
  
The lights in the eyes of the little boys made his heart nearly melt, and he left quickly before he did some embarrassing parental display in front of them-embarrassing because he was not their parents.  
  
He thought of Celebrian, Elrond's wife, and Arwen his daughter. They would be able to calm him, to ease whatever suffering he held in his heart and mind. But they are not here, he thought. Both were in Lothlorien, having been gone but recently, having been summoned by Celebrian's mother, Galadriel. Ah, Galadriel, Glorfindel thought with a slight smile. She is a fireball. Celeborn is a brave man.  
  
Estel was sitting on his bed, drawing. He looked up when Glorfindel entered, and clumsily tried to hide the paper and pens he was drawing with. The Elf Lord strode forward with a quirk in his eyebrows, his silvery hair flowing around his shoulders as he knelt beside the bed. "Estel," he said.  
  
Estel's face colored. "Yes, Glorfindel?"  
  
"What were you doing?"  
  
"Nothing, sir."  
  
"Then what did you just shove under your bed?"  
  
Guiltily, Estel reached back under him and withdrew the paper and pens. "I wanted a picture of my horse."  
  
"Where did you get that?"  
  
"The library."  
  
"And what about the paper in the library?"  
  
"'It is not for drawing'," Estel said, hanging his head.  
  
"Hm," Glorfindel said, picking up the piece of paper and examining it. The picture was rather good, and after a moment, he nodded. "It is a very good drawing," he said finally. "I won't tell if you won't."  
  
Estel's eyes lit up and before Glorfindel knew what had happened, the little mortal boy was in his arms and squeezing him in a tight hug. Glorfindel returned it, easier, and pulled back. "Elladan and Elrohir, I believe, wish to have a sleepover. Your presence, my Lord, is requested." He changed his tone to one of coquettish propriety, and Estel giggled, covering his little mouth with his hand.  
  
"Of course," Estel said, puffing out his chest and raising up his chin.  
  
Glorfindel lifted the child onto his shoulders and trotted from the room. After he deposited the boy with the twins, he strode toward the study where he knew Elrond would be sitting before the fire, attempting to pass the night again without sleep. As he suspected, Elrond was there, leaning against the hearth with one hand and rubbing the back of his neck with the other.  
  
"We have had enough," Glorfindel said flatly, his footfall silent as he entered the room.  
  
Elrond started, and spun around. "I did not hear you enter."  
  
"Because you are troubled and allow no one to help you," Glorfindel shot at him. "This evening you frightened your own children into believing you hate them. You have done nothing but shout at everyone and stay awake in a half-alive stupor-"  
  
"You know nothing of what you speak," Elrond snapped, taking a step closer to the other elf. They were now mere inches apart, and each could see the anger and threatening aggression in the eyes of the other. "Do not try and chide me, Glorfindel. I appreciate everything you do here, especially with the twins and Estel, but leave me be when I desire to be alone."  
  
There was a taut silence, and then Glorfindel shook his head. "What has happened to you, my friend?" he whispered. "When did you begin to distrust me with your emotions?"  
  
Elrond's eyes descended from rage to a grey blanket of sadness. "I dream strange things," he said. "Whispers come to me in the night and tell me of things to be.but they are not things that shall affect the things to come, Glorfindel, it is just one instance in time." he shook his head. "Never have I foreseen the events of one individual's life, but rather it is always of a group, a culture.I do not understand."  
  
"Yet is it so disturbing you cannot sleep?" Glorfindel honestly did not find the dreams too disconcerting, yet Elrond's intuitive sense of prophecy along with his staggering intellect seemed to think otherwise, and he was rarely wrong.  
  
"I see a face," he said. "A haunted, lost, hopeless face. One so familiar yet I cannot place it, except as an emotion somewhere in the depths of my soul. She cries out to me, Glorfindel, she calls to me for help, for guidance, and yet her soul.I can feel it, I can hear and smell and taste the pain and the hurt, the utter." he shook his head again. "It is broken, Glorfindel. How does one mend a broken soul?"  
  
"Is this what troubles you, Elrond?" Glorfindel put his hand on Elrond's arm comfortingly. "If you do not yet see the intention of Manwe yet, fear not; for in the right time these things you will see clearly and understanding will come to you like the sun after the storm."  
  
Elrond shifted his eyes from the floor to his friends face. "You do speak words true," he said after a moment. "Tell me, my friend, why you have not come to me before and demanded an explaination for my obviously atrocious behavior."  
  
Glorfindel shrugged. "I thought you would grow out of it."  
  
Elrond looked at him indignantly. "I would have you know I have outgrown all childish pursuits," he said, lightly smacking Glorfindel's hand from his shoulder.  
  
"Really?" Glorfindel playfully reached up and smacked the back of Elrond's head.  
  
"Yes, really." Elrond caught Glorfindel in a loose headlock and rubbed his knuckles over Glorfindel's head.  
  
This elicited a rather un-Lordly squeal from Glorfindel, who promptly shifted and kicked Elrond's feet from under him. Both landed on the stone floor, twisting and pinning one another down with almost boyish glee, until both were sweating and laughing and still trying to best one another. A high pitched ahem caught the Elf Lords' attention, and they looked up to see Elladan, Elrohir, and Estel staring at them, their bare feet tapping on the floor and their little arms crossed over their chests. They looked somewhat disapproving, but underneath their stern exterior the corners of their mouths were trembling as they fought the urge to smile. Finally it was Estel who finally burst out and all three boys piled at once onto Glorfindel, who was, unfortunately, still laying on top of Elrond. Elrond grunted under the increased weight, but said no word of complaint.  
  
"Glorfindel said you didn't wrestle anymore," Elladan said matter of factly.  
  
"So what exactly is the meaning of this?" Elrohir demanded, his face becoming stormy.  
  
"You both are to go to your rooms," Estel put in, bouncing slightly on top of the pile.  
  
"After we have some more dessert left over from dinner." Elladan seemed pleased with his sudden idea, one which lit the faces all three children.  
  
"Then dessert it is," Elrond said tightly, trying to avoid having his ribs crushed by the six year olds. Loud cheers rang out as they quickly abandoned their siege of the Elf Lords and stood in a semi-circle and hopped impatiently.  
  
Elrohir's small voice rang out in a challenge. "First one there gets first seconds!" Instantly the three boys were scrambling to get out of the study and down the hall towards the kitchen. Glorfindel and Elrond looked at each other then got to their feet. Unspoken words passed between them and both turned and sprinted out of the study. Their longer legs almost immediately chewed up the distance between them and the boys, and as they ran, Elrond scooped up the twins, one in each arm, and Glorfindel caught Estel in mid-stride, sweeping him from the floor onto his back without slowing his pace. Elrond beat Glorfindel by a hair's breadth, and Elladan and Elrohir cheered that they would be the ones that received seconds first.  
  
Glorfindel glanced over at Elrond and the wide smile on his face as he balanced Elladan and Estel on one knee and Elrohir on the other. Elrond met his gaze and nodded, and Glorfindel smiled in return. It was good to see Elrond back to normal, he thought as he retrieved the tray from the kitchen that still held the pastries from dinner. He brought them out with much ceremony, and the five of them finished the desserts with little effort. Elrond and Glorfindel carried them back to the twin's room and laid all three down on the bed, covering them with a thin woven coverlet.  
  
For a long time Elrond stood in the doorway alone and watched them sleep, then turned and started down the hall. As he came to the study he saw Glorfindel sitting before the fire, lost in thought; and he passed him by and entered his own room, sighing as he removed his clothes and slid into his soft silken nightshirt, then into bed. Dreams flitted around his sub- conscious mind and he sighed, but felt not the dread he had felt before. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm not Tolkien, nor do I own his things (though I may desperately wish otherwise). Characters you don't know are most likely mine.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The morning dawned grey and chill, but Elrond and Glorfindel were busy in the stable saddling their horses and three others, as well as tying small leather bags onto the saddles. Glorfindel paused in his efforts, and smiled over the horse's back at his friend. "This is a good morning for riding," he said. "The children will be delighted." He glanced around. "Yet I do not see them. You did remember to tell them, did you not?"  
  
"Of course," Elrond said. "Yet if they are not here soon we should go and fetch them."  
  
"How are you sleeping?" Glorfindel tried to make his voice light, but the weightiness in his eyes told Elrond his question held serious levity.  
  
Elrond sighed. "Better," he admitted. "The dreams are still the same, yet now I do not fear to face them, and still there is an element I am not seeing-"  
  
"Are we ready? Are we ready?" Elladan's voice chirped from behind them. The two Elf-Lords turned to see the three children nearly falling over themselves to get to their horses. All three were in their riding clothes and all three had their little child-size bows and quivers on their backs, and they had eyes unusually bright for the early hour at which they found themselves awake.  
  
Glorfindel and Elrond each had their own weapons, of course; both had their own swords, but each was cleverly concealed under the blankets over the horse. Though Middle-Earth in this realm was safe, they would be traveling to the outskirts of Imladris for this picnic. It would take most of the morning to ride, reason enough for the boys to get out of bed so early.  
  
Estel yawned as Glorfindel helped him onto the large horse the child already deemed as 'his'. Elrond lifted Elladan then Elrohir onto their horses before mounting his own, and watching Glorfindel as he did the same, they urged their horses from their stalls into the forest.  
  
They rode for nearly four hours before reaching their destination; a quiet, peaceful valley bordered on one side by a shallow river and on the other a forest. It was one of the favorite places of the boys, though they did not often visit here; they set out to play with their bows and arrows while Elrond and Glorfindel went about readying their blankets and baskets of food. The boys, to their credit, came immediately when called, and quickly finished off the lunch prepared as well as a good part of Glorfindel's and Elrond's.  
  
Estel lifted his head from his food for a moment, cocking his head to one side. Though the boy was mortal, his senses had become nearly as adept as those of his foster-brothers, and when he stopped chewing to listen, Elrond and Glorfindel frowned, exchanging glances.  
  
"What is it, Estel?" Glorfindel prodded gently.  
  
"I hear something," he said simply, then continued to chew.  
  
"What did you hear?" Even Elladan and Elrohir raised their heads at their father's question.  
  
"Crashing," Estel said with a shrug. "Probably just a deer or something."  
  
"We should go catch it!" Elladan nearly shrieked, jumping up from his food. Elrohir was immediately behind him and Estel followed as quickly as his little legs could. The boys ran, bows and arrows in hand, into to woods.  
  
Just then, the Elf-Lords heard what Estel had heard. It was, indeed, a crashing, but with it were growls, and a scream and a low-pitched roar. No words were needed; both were on their feet and as soon as they had their weapons in their hands, they ran after the children. They had not gone far into the cover of the trees before a great screeching filled their ears, and a shadow deeper than that of the trees covered their steps for a moment. As they looked up, they saw shimmering red and gold pass over their heads and felt a wave of heat.  
  
"Dragon," Glorfindel muttered in disgust. Before they could go further, three terrified children ran screaming down the path toward them.  
  
"Wolves!" they wailed, clutching the legs of the two adults.  
  
Indeed, the growling was coming closer. "We tried to shoot them but they wouldn't die," Elrohir whispered from behind Glorfindel. "We were going to help her-"  
  
"Wargs," Elrond hissed. "Go, children. Mount your horses and ride across the river. Go to the high grounds and wait for us there."  
  
"But-"began Estel.  
  
"No buts," Glorfindel said. "Go, now!"  
  
"Don't forget her!" Elladan called behind him as they ran.  
  
The Wargs broke through the low shrubbery with no thought of stopping. They were met with battle cries and elvish swords, and forgoing their mission to obtain their dinner by way of three small children, they concentrated on the bigger, older Elves. One by one the Wargs were felled, and yet still they came. It seemed the entire pack was there, and from the corner of his eye Elrond caught sight of one running back into the brush to the left of him; in his mouth was something white and red, but the vision passed so quickly even Elrond's elf eyes could not decipher what it was.  
  
"Go!" Glorfindel called, having seen it as well.  
  
Elrond nodded and sprinted off into the brush in pursuit. It was a hard chase but slowly he was closing the distance between him and the Warg. After a few minutes he heard another set of feet behind him, knowing without looking back that it was Glorfindel. He was older than Elrond by several hundred years, yet had only minimally more experience in battle than did his older friend. They had fought together often, and Glorfindel's speed was one of his greatest allies.  
  
Glorfindel overtook the Warg first, slashing at his back leg. With a pained growl the Warg crashed head over heals but rounded again, his prize still in his mouth. Both elves circled the beast and planned their coordinated attack without words.  
  
They sprung, and the Warg dropped the object from its mouth and turned to fight. The battle did not last long, however, and though both Elrond and Glorfindel were cut by its massive claws they were not bitten. The bite of a Warg often meant death, for the saliva coating the teeth was poison.  
  
They turned to the object lying in the grass. It was the thing that was concerning Elladan, probably why they had shot at the Wargs first and ran later. It was a woman, not of Elf kind, yet having the fair coloring of that race. Her hair was long and nearly white, and her skin was pale and soft; yet over her entire body were bruises and cuts and abrasions and blood. The teeth of the Warg had not penetrated her flesh as she was carried, yet it seemed still she had undergone some tragic happening at the hands of perhaps another fell beast.  
  
Glorfindel threw his cloak over her to cover her nakedness. "She is under a spell," Elrond whispered, passing his hands over her open but blank eyes. "The dragon, most likely."  
  
Elrond was unusually pale; Glorfindel frowned. "You are alright, my friend?" he inquired in concern.  
  
"She is the one in my dreams."  
  
Glorfindel swept her up into his arms. "Go," he said. "Find the children and send Asfolath back for me. I will meet you both in Imladris."  
  
Elrond nodded and took off in a run, leaving Glorfindel and the woman. Glorfindel walked quickly for nearly a half hour before he saw in the distance his horse galloping toward them. "Asfolath!" he cried, shifting the unconscious woman in his arms and waving. He was rewarded with an answering neigh, and moments later he and the woman were on Asfolath's back galloping again toward Imladris.  
  
As they rode, the woman opened her eyes. When she looked upon Glorfindel, her eyes widened, but she spoke no word, only tried to raise her arms to push herself away from him. Glorfindel tightened his arm around her and spoke gently. "I will not harm you, my Lady," he said, glancing down. "You shall come to no more harm."  
  
The woman paused her fighting.  
  
"What are you called, my Lady?" he continued.  
  
She did not answer.  
  
"Do you have a name?"  
  
Frowning, she seemed to think hard on this, then after a moment, her face clouded and she shook her head.  
  
"Then I shall give you a name," Glorfindel said with a small smile. If she lived long enough to hear it, he thought soberly. "Would you like that?"  
  
The woman tried to smile.  
  
"I shall call you Míriel," he said. "It means jewel-light in my tongue. You may call me Glorfindel."  
  
The woman sighed, seeming content with this, and rested her head again against Glorfindel's chest.  
  
At a full gallop Asfolath took them to Imladris in less than two hours. There Elrond was waiting for him, and, lifting her from Asfolath, whisked her away into one of the many rooms in the Last Homely House. Glorfindel sighed, and rested his face against Asfolath's mane. "Well done, my friend," he said, absently stroking the side of the horse's neck. With a sigh he dismounted, noticing that blood was staining the front of his shirt. My own mingled with that of the woman, he thought to himself.  
  
He heard the patter of little feet, and turning found Estel and the twins skittering to a stop behind him. "Hello, little ones," he said with a forced smile.  
  
"Father told us to tend to your wounds," Elrohir said.  
  
"Did he now?" Glorfindel said, amused. He knew full well the children did not know how to treat any kind of wound.  
  
"Yes," Estel said, marching forward first and taking Glorfindel's hand. "He said you fought real brave, and you should be taken care of immediately."  
  
Glorfindel laughed, and shook his head. "Yet your father fought more valiantly than I," he said. "But if he said you are to tend to my wounds, then I shall allow it."  
  
The boys nearly dragged Glorfindel to his room, where they had already set up an infirmary of sorts. He allowed the boys to remove his shirt and boots and sit him on a hard chair before a mirror. Their small, ticklish fingers rinsed off his wounds with something that smelled very good, very relaxing. Probably something they were given by Elrond, he thought wryly. He set them up well. Every once in a while their fingers would poke a little too deeply in his wounds and he would tighten and try to stifle his pained grunt. Every time, however, the three pairs of eyes that missed little would sweep up to meet his own and they would proceed more carefully. After nearly a half hour he was finally deemed "better", and wrapped in messy strips of white cloth, was allowed to put on a clean shirt and pants.  
  
"You have to rest now," Elladan said, crossing his arms over his puffed-out little chest. Elrohir and Estel stood slightly behind him, one boy on either side, and nodded solemnly like good lieutenants.  
  
Glorfindel sighed. "I wish to check on the woman, children," he said, trying to be patient. "Then I will come back for rest."  
  
The three huddled together and discussed this, and then they turned to him. "Agreed," Elrohir said.  
  
"But you can't stay too long," Estel put in as Glorfindel was leaving. Glorfindel did not turn but raised his hand over his shoulder in acknowledgement as he hurried down the hall. He knew instinctively that Elrond would have put her in the guest room at the end of the hall, across from the bathing room and his own chambers; it was closest to his own care and the room was open to the west so the cooler north and east wind would not complicate her healing.  
  
As he suspected she was there; Elrond had cleaned all her wounds and bound the worst ones before somehow managing to get her into a white silken sleeping-gown. He did not look up as Glorfindel entered.  
  
"She's sleeping," Elrond whispered, standing by the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. His grey eyes flicked to meet the blond elf's blue ones, and then closed.  
  
"Will she survive?"  
  
Elrond nodded. "Yes," he said. "She will not speak, however."  
  
Glorfindel shook his head. "She would not speak for me, either," he said. "She did not know even her own name, so I told her I would call her Míriel. She seemed to like it. She smiled at me, anyway."  
  
The corners of Elrond's mouth turned up slightly, and he looked at his friend. "Then Míriel she shall be called, until at least she recalls her own-if she even knew it. Of course, that could be the dragon's doing."  
  
"But why did the dragon not kill her? Why did the Wargs not kill her?" Glorfindel narrowed his eyes. "She is a woman-not an Elf-maiden, not a Dwarf-queen.the Lord of Rohan has no daughters, and the Steward of Gondor has only daughters-in-law. If one of them were missing we would have heard of it before now."  
  
Elrond pursed his lips, and nodded. "You speak true," he said quietly. "Then she shall remain here, and learn all that she wishes until she either recalls what has been forgotten or chooses to leave Imladris. We shall leave the decision up to her."  
  
Glorfindel nodded in agreement, and raised his loosely-clenched fist to his mouth in though. "Elrond, tell me," he said after a moment. "Your dreams foretold this, did they not?"  
  
"Though I did not know it at the time," he responded, "I believe they did."  
  
"And did they tell you how this would end?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Perhaps you will dream again."  
  
"Perhaps." 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Just wanted to let you people know once more (as if you didn't already) that I do not own anything or anyone in the story but the stuff that doesn't immediately bring an image to your head (i.e, Míriel and her imaginary crew).  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The next morning the pitter-patter of the twins' bare feet pulled Glorfindel from his dreams into the bright sunlight streaming through his window. "Glorfi, wake up!" they cried together in excitement.  
  
Glorfindel groaned as he rolled onto his stomach. His knuckles scraped the smooth stone floor, but he took no notice. His groans grew louder and more complainant as the twins proceeded to take the liberty of jumping up and down on his bed, with him still in it, until he got up.  
  
"Aeiri!" he shouted, his head still fluttery from sleep. The twins halted their assault, and stared down at him with their large, round blue eyes. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes. "What is it?" he asked in a softer tone.  
  
"Míriel is awake, and in the garden," Elladan said matter-of-factly. "She asked for you."  
  
"She spoke?" Glorfindel nearly fell out of the bed in his rush to stand.  
  
"Sort of," Elrohir answered, chewing on a fingernail. "She keeps saying your name over and over. That's it, nothing else."  
  
"Go then, and tell her that I shall come." Glorfindel tripped over the sheets lying partly in the floor and somehow managed to catch himself at the last minute. He tugged on the same trousers he wore the previous day and another shirt, pulling his boots on as he ran. Sure enough she was in the garden, with Estel. He was patiently explaining to her how to play chess; she was sitting on the opposite side of the chessboard, listening carefully to his words. Elrond stood in the doorway of the pavilion, watching them.  
  
Glorfindel paused beside his friend, and watched them for a moment. "Has she spoken?" he said softly.  
  
"Once," Elrond said, looking at the blond elf. "She stumbled over your name.she has been sitting there with Estel for almost a half hour."  
  
"He seems to keep her occupied," Glorfindel said with a smile.  
  
Estel looked up as Elladan and Elrohir ran out to them, chattering that Glorfindel had come, and was standing with Elrond to the North of the Garden. At the sound of Glorfindel's name Míriel quickly stood and held out her hand, which Estel took hold of, and hurried her over to where Elrond and Glorfindel stood.  
  
She skittered to a stop before them, and, seeming at a loss once she was there, fidgeted and clasped and unclasped her hands, staring at the ground. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she raised her eyes.  
  
"Hello, Míriel," Glorfindel said softly, stepping forward and extending his hand. She glanced down at it warily. He frowned. "I will not hurt you."  
  
She furrowed her brow doubtfully; before she could do anything, however, twin pairs of hands clasped her own and she looked down, startled.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir were grinning up at her, tugging on her hands. Estel stood behind Elladan, sucking his thumb with wide eyes. After a second, he tugged on her white shift and Míriel knelt down gracefully to the children's height and Estel whispered excitedly in her ear while the twins leaned on her to hear what their foster brother was saying. After a moment, Estel pulled away and Míriel nodded, then rose again to her feet.  
  
"Glorr...Glorrfinndel." She struggled with the name, but did not stop. "Mm.Mírree-ell."  
  
Glorfindel raised his eyebrows in surprise, and glanced at Elrond. "Very good, child," Elrond said in a soothing tone. "I am called Elrond." He paused, and upon seeing her understanding he continued. "This is Estel, and Elladan, and Elrohir. They are my children." He gestured to each child in turn.  
  
Míriel smiled down at them, kneeling again and studying the faces of the twins intently. The boys stood still and let her eyes roam where they would, and when she was finished they would say their names to her again and she would nod. Then she turned to Estel and smiled softly at him, causing the little boy to blush furiously and wind his toe into the ground. Then, they all blushed furiously and, giggling, ran away. She tilted her head slightly, as if listening to them go, wearing a smile as she turned back to the elf lords. Then smile dropped from her face and she looked down, suddenly shy. This time, when Glorfindel raised his hand to lift her chin she did not flinch away, merely looked at him with more curiosity than fear in her face. "Glorrfinndel," she whispered. "Elllrrrond." "Glorrfinndel?"  
  
"Yes, I am here," he responded.  
  
Míriel looked up at the darker elf and studied him closely. With raised eyebrows, Elrond stepped closer.  
  
"Come, Míriel," he said gently. "There is much we need to talk about, if you are ready."  
  
Míriel's eyes moved from side to side, as if somehow trying to figure out what was going on, and he felt a wave of pity as he saw nothing but fear in her face. "You do not have to go if you are not ready, child."  
  
She moved slightly closer to Glorfindel, and looked up at him with searching eyes.  
  
"I think she wants you to decide for her, my old friend."  
  
Glorfindel put his arm lightly around Míriel, and turned her slightly to face Elrond. "Come, child. It will be alright."  
  
But would it? Glorfindel could not help but wonder. It was obvious that some wretched spell of the dragon had stolen not only her identity but also her memory-all of it. Poor child cannot even remember how to speak, he thought sadly. They could teach her how to speak again, surely, but where would she go from there? He knew Elrond would not turn her out, nor would he attempt to find her any other home if she did not wish it. He wondered what would happen to her.  
  
They led her into the library and prepared her a glass of wine before sitting around her and asking questions. Most were along the lines of from where do you come? Do you have family?  
  
After an hour Elrond finally leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers lightly together just under his chin. The girl looked tired from the effort of trying to respond to all his questions, and but Glorfindel leaned forward. "Are you tired, aeir?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
Glorfindel smiled, and stood. "Then I suggest you get some rest before dinner, for I wish to show you around Lord Elrond's lovely abode."  
  
Míriel raised her hand shyly, and as Glorfindel's larger one closed around it, she smiled and rose from her chair. Elrond rose as well, and bowed slightly to her as she passed. His eyes met Glorfindel's and he smiled slightly as they left the library.  
  
~*~  
  
Glorfindel noticed her eyes raking over every inch of Elrond's home as they went down one of the many corridors. He paused at a heavy wooden door along the way. "This is my chamber," he said softly. "I am close to yours, only four doors down. Come, we are almost there."  
  
She nodded imperceptibly, and continued. When they finally reached her chamber, he explained that Elrond's chambers were one down on the left and the washroom was directly across from her own. She let go of his hand then, and went to Elrond's door, then to the washroom door, then walked back up the hall and to Glorfindel's door.  
  
He nodded approvingly. "Good," he said. "Now you know where everything is. Let's go inside, and familiarize you with your surroundings."  
  
He led her inside, then to all the furniture and the window, detailing everything they went to. He explained that at least two dresses would be made for her by morning, and she nodded with excitement in her eyes. She turned her face up to him, and offered a smile he could not help but return. Then, seconds later, she yawned.  
  
Glorfindel laughed. "Forgive me, aeir," he said. "I get ahead of myself. You need to rest; I will see you soon, yes?"  
  
She nodded again and walked slowly to the bed. Feeling for a moment around on the silken coverlet, she pulled it back and climbed inside. It did not take long for her eyes to close and minutes later, her even breathing belied she had slipped into sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
Screams tore through the Last Homely House and Elrond tore through the corridors at a dead sprint. He knew the voice, and where it came from; what he did not know was why she was screaming. Surely there was no orc or Warg or dragon in Imladris? Either way, pain from her desperate calls was searing through his mind like a hot iron, as if she were somehow inside his head shouting for him.  
  
He burst into her room only to find her on the floor, crouched into as tight a ball as she could manage. The sheets were wrapped around her ankles and she was kicking at them as best she could while staying as close to the wall and floor as possible.  
  
Immediately she was clinging to him as he whispered softly in her ear, telling her he was there and she was safe; as her sobs began to abate she reached up and placed her fingertips lightly on his forehead-  
  
--and all went black.  
  
Before he could register what was happening, a brilliance of colors exploded in his mind, and he found himself standing on a grassy knoll, watching as three young maidens on horseback frolicked through the fields. One had streaming blond hair, almost white, and a ready smile and musical laugh. Míriel, he realized.  
  
The sun began to set, and one of the girls wanted to return, but Míriel adamantly refused and with a smile, rode off further from the other two girls, who protested. The all-to-familiar sound of shrieks met his ears, and he turned just in time to see a band of orcs rushing the hill towards the girls. They screamed and spurred their horses on, but Míriel was surrounded before she could reach the others.  
  
"Go, go!" he heard her screaming to them. "Kerrë! Fetch Kerrë!" The two other girls, with terrified, desperate faces, spurred their horses away from the siege of their friend. Elrond tried to move his feet in an effort to help Míriel, but he found none of his limbs would function properly; indeed, not at all. He could not even shout as she was pulled from her horse.  
  
He wanted to close his eyes as the orcs began to make sport of her, tearing first her clothes then her flesh as they raped her; he wanted to shout, to kill them, to make them stop hurting her. But he could do nothing.  
  
As the stars began to appear, the clarity of the scene before him began to haze. Elrond. He heard his name somewhere, and suddenly, he could move. He opened his eyes and found Míriel lying limply in his arms and Glorfindel behind him, as well as Estel and the twins clinging wide-eyed to the blond elf's legs. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Don't own nothin' of Tolkien's. Das alles.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"What happened?" Glorfindel stared down at the pair of them.  
  
Elrond wished he knew the answer.  
  
"Is she dead?" Elrohir's blue eyes were wide.  
  
Elrond found his voice. "No," he said, a bit sharper than he meant to. At Elrohir's trembling lower lip, he softened his voice. "No, Elrohir, she is not dead. She had.a nightmare, that's all. No go back outside and play."  
  
"But we want to stay," Elladan protested.  
  
"No," Elrond said, trying to be patient as he carefully lifted Míriel from the floor and placed her in the bed. "She's sleeping. How would you like it if someone came in and disturbed your sleep?"  
  
Elladan glanced at Estel, then Elrohir. All were lost in thought for a precious few silent seconds, then disappeared out the door. Elrond heard them outside a moments later.  
  
"What happened, my friend?" Glorfindel asked softly, putting his hand on Elrond's shoulder. He glanced down at Míriel, then back up to Elrond. "You are pale."  
  
"I saw-something," Elrond said hesitantly. "When she screamed, it felt like a hot dagger was cutting its way through my brain. And when I found her, she touched my face-"Elrond shook his head. "I saw her."  
  
"Saw her how?" Glorfindel frowned.  
  
"Saw her before this," Elrond said after a moment, gesturing to Míriel's still form on the bed. With a sigh, Elrond tilted his head to the side, indicating they should not speak in Míriel's albeit unconscious presence. They made their way to the library balcony, where they stood a long while in silence, feeling the heat of the sun beating down on their faces.  
  
"She was with two other women," Elrond said at last, rubbing his eyes. "They were on horseback, just out for an evening ride. They came across a band of orcs-or, rather, the orcs came across them. The others went for help, but-" his voice broke, and he took a deep breath. "-the orcs laid hold of her, and they.they." Elrond could not bring himself to say it.  
  
Glorfindel laid an understanding hand on Elrond's shoulder. Disgust and anger was written on his face as well. He knew Elrond well enough to know what had befallen without him having to spell it out. Elrond nodded, grateful, and continued.  
  
"I was frozen; I could not move or speak, only watch. When the sun faded so did the vision. You saw the rest."  
  
Glorfindel was silent for a moment. "Did you dream about your vision before you had it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What about hearing her inside your head?"  
  
"That I certainly cannot explain. I cannot sense any sort of ethereal prowess on her part at all-quite the opposite, in fact. She is like a blank slate. I sense nothing from her-no memories of anything save the emotions she faces here, at this moment. Nothing lingering."  
  
Glorfindel mused over this. "It is a puzzle," he admitted.  
  
"She does have a connection to you, I've noticed," Elrond said with a smile. "She trusts you more than anyone thus far. I've also noticed you have a softening spot for her as well."  
  
Despite the mischievous glint in Elrond's eye and the tell-tale tugging at the corners of his mouth, Glorfindel refused to be pulled into Elrond's implication. "Ah, my old friend, sometimes I wonder if the years have not muddled your brain."  
  
Elrond started to retort, but stopped before any words left his mouth, and turned around. Glorfindel raised his eyebrows then did the same, noticing for the first time Míriel had managed to find her way to the library and was standing behind them.  
  
How long had she been there? Glorfindel wondered. Instead of asking, however, he extended his hand to her. "Come, child," he said softly. Míriel took his hand and allowed Glorfindel to guide her to the balcony rail. She glanced between Elrond and Glorfindel, then sighed, raising her face to the sky.  
  
"Míriel!"  
  
The childish cry came from the gardens below them. Both elf lords and Míriel looked down at the twins and Estel, who were waving madly up at them. She chuckled softly to herself as she watched them.  
  
"Wanna come down and play?" Elrohir called up to her, bouncing up and down excitedly. "Come and play!" Estel echoed.  
  
"She needs her rest, children," Elrond called down to them. Míriel smiled and waved, and allowed Elrond to take her elbow and lead her away from the balcony. Whines of disappointment emanating from the garden immediately ensued, and Elrond shook his head with a soft laugh.  
  
Míriel glanced back toward the balcony, then paused. She pursed her lips, as if considering some plan of action, then broke out into a run back toward the balcony. Startled shouts came from both Glorfindel and Elrond, and they took off after her, but they were not fast enough.  
  
She caught the balcony rail with one hand and swung her legs over. She fell quickly and gracefully, landing in a cat-like crouch at the feet of the children, who squealed with delight, promptly dragging her away to some adventure.  
  
"Míriel!" Glorfindel's voice carried over the garden. It carried a mixture of concern and shock.  
  
She did not notice his tone, but merely waved with a huge smile and allowed the children to take her where they would.  
  
"Did she just jump off the balcony?"  
  
Glorfindel turned at Elrond's question. His eyes were wide, and his face still reflected his surprise.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And she was unhurt."  
  
"Seemingly."  
  
Elrond shook his head. "I hope the twins and Estel don't try that. It would be difficult to explain to Celebrían how all three of the children managed to suffer from two broken legs each."  
  
Glorfindel's jaw dropped as Elrond turned and left the room. He could not quite decide if he was joking or being serious-of course, Glorfindel thought wryly, that was a daily question when it came to Elrond. He sighed, and, running a hand through his silky golden hair, tried to force the worry from his mind. 


End file.
